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CORNERSTONECONNECTIONS
DECEMBER052015

Scripture Story: 2 Samuel 25:5.

Commentary: Patriarchs and Prophets (or Beginning of the End),
chapter 69.

when will I be king?

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Photo by The Crystal Lenz

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keytext
flashlight
The hour for the coronation was appointed; the man who had been expelled from the
court of Saul, who had fled to the mountains and hills and to the caves of the earth to
preserve his life, was about to receive the highest honor that can be conferred upon man
by his fellow man. . . . The time had come, and David, by solemn rite, was consecrated to
his office as Gods vicegerent. The scepter was placed in his hands . . . , and the people
gave their pledges of loyalty. The diadem was placed upon his brow, and the coronation
ceremony was over. Israel had a king by divine appointment. He who had waited patiently
for the Lord, beheld the promise of God fulfilled (Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 701, 702).

When
all the
Israel
had
After she
hadelders
given ofhim
a drink,
come
to King
David
at Hebron,
she said,
Ill draw
water
for your
the
kingtoo,
made
a covenant
camels
until
they havewith
finthem
at
Hebron
before
the
Lord,
ished drinking
and they anointed David king over
(Genesis 24:19, NIV).
Israel.
(2 Samuel 5:3, NIV)

what
do you think?

David lasted a
long time. David grew
stronger and stronger, while
the house of Saul grew weaker and
weaker.

Which statement best describes your attitude when you have

to wait a long time for something?
____ I feel frustrated and angry, and everyone knows it.
____ I feel angry, but I keep the anger inside and it stresses
me out.
____ I really dont care.
____ I feel excited because I know the thing will be
worth waiting for.
____ I try to change the situation to see if I can
make things happen faster.
____ I lose interest and move on to something
else.
In the course of time, David
inquired of the Lord. Shall I go
up to one of the towns of Judah?
he asked. The Lord said, Go up.
David asked, Where shall I go?
To Hebron, the Lord answered.

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INTO
THE
STORY

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did you

know?

So David went up there with his

two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and
hat did it mean to
Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carbe a king in Bible
mel. David also took the men who
times? A king was
were with him, each with his family,
far more than just
and they settled in Hebron and its
a head of state,
towns. Then the men of Judah
much more powerful than a president or
came to Hebron and there they
prime minister today. While a king in the
anointed David king over the
ancient world would usually have advisors or
house of Judah.
counselors, he wasnt required to take their
advice. He was considered above the law.
Ish-Bosheth son of Saul
Everything in the nation was believed to be the
was forty years old when he
kings propertyincluding all the peopleand
became king over Israel,
the king was free to use the land, its resources,
and he reigned two years.
and its people as he chose.
The tribe of Judah, howThe idea of having a king was
ever, remained loyal to
new for the people of Israel.
David.
Until Saul was chosen king,
the Israelites had had no single,
The war between
all-powerful ruler except God. The
the house of
role of king placed a huge amount
Saul and the
of power in the hands of one
house of
man. He couldnt be voted out
of officeremoved only by death!
When David was crowned king, people
in Israel hoped to have a king who would rule
justly and follow Gods laws, rather than one who
would abuse his power and make his people suffer as so
many kings at that time did.

Abner conferred with the elders of

Israel and said, For some time you
have wanted to make David your king.
Now do it! For the Lord promised
David, By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of
the Philistines and from the hand of all
their enemies.
Abner also spoke to the Benjamites
in person. Then he went to Hebron to
tell David everything that Israel and the
whole tribe of Benjamin wanted to do.
When Abner, who had twenty men with
him, came to David at Hebron, David
prepared a feast for him and his men.
Then Abner said to David, Let me go
at once and assemble all Israel for my
lord the king, so that they may make a
covenant with you, and that you may
rule over all that your heart desires. So
David sent Abner away, and he went
in peace.
All the tribes of Israel came to David
at Hebron and said, We are your own
flesh and blood. In the past, while Saul
was king over us, you were the one
who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, You
will shepherd my people Israel, and you
will become their ruler.
When all the elders of Israel had come
to King David at Hebron, the king made
a covenant with them at Hebron before
the Lord, and they anointed David king
over Israel.
(2 Samuel 2:1-4, 10; 3:1, 17-21; 5:1-3, NIV)

OUT
OF THE
STORY

punch lines
After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: I
have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything
I want him to do (Acts 13:22, NIV).

If God had chosen David as king, why did David

have to fight a long and bloody civil war to secure his
right to the throne?

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV).
Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run
and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah
40:31, NKJV).
Endow the king with your justice, O God, the
royal son with your righteousness (Psalm 72:1,
NIV).

Do Davids actions throughout this story indicate that he was, in fact,

following Gods will? Why or why not?

How do you think David felt about finally becoming king after waiting so long?

What type of leader do you think David was, considering that the elders of
Israel asked that he become king over them as well as over Judah?

How do you think David was able to maintain his faith in God, and
his trust in Gods promise, when he had to wait so long and fight
so hard to become king?

eyes
other

I do not believe that sheer

suffering teaches. If suffering alone taught, all the world
would be wise, since everyone suffers. To suffering must
be added mourning, understanding,
patience, love, openness and the willingness to remain vulnerable.Joseph

Addison, 18th-century English writer.

Never think that Gods delays are Gods denials.

Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius.
George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon, 18th-century French scientist.

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What was Davids attitude toward his defeated enemies? What does this tell
us about David?

And we know that all things work together

for good to those who love God, to those who
are the called according to His purpose
(Romans 8:28, NKJV).

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makingitreal
Sabbath

avid was called by God as a young boy to

become Israels king, yet he had to wait
for many years and experience many hardships before he finally wore the crown. What
do you think kept him going during his years
as an outlaw? What obstacles did he still face
even after he was crowned king of Judah?

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During those years, Davids faith must have

wavered at times. It seemed as if Gods promise
was so far from being fulfilled. Yet the difficult
experiences of those years prepared him to
become the king Israel needed.

44

How do you feel when you pray and do not

seem to see results? Why does Gods plan
sometimes include waiting, struggling, and
learning?

Second Samuel 5:3 tells us that after Davids

long years of struggle and hardship he finally
received his promised reward: he became king
of all Israel. We too will receive Gods blessings
if we learn to wait patiently for Him.

Sunday

hen we read the stories of King David,

we step into a world very different from
our own. Its often more like a fantasy novel
than like the world we know: a world where
kings rule by absolute power and disputes
are settled by hand-to-hand combat. A world
where a young mans destiny can be changed
forever by a prophecy that takes half a lifetime
to fulfill.
Yet in this remote and ancient world, God
taught His people lessons that are still relevant
today. How clear is your sense that God has a
plan for your life? Even if it isnt clear, or easy
to trace, in what ways are you able to believe
that it is there?

Like David, we may spend years preparing for

our destiny, but those are never wasted years.
God is with us as He was with David throughout the years in the wildernessteaching,
guiding, training.

Monday

he fulfillment of the prophecy Samuel

made when David was a teenager finally
came about on the day that David was crowned
king of the united kingdom of Israel and Judah.
God kept His promise, just as God always does.
How does the story of David help you trust
Gods promises?

noting the context in which it is written. How

does that verse, its context, the account of King
Davids life, and yours all relate to one another?

Thursday

an you think of an area in your life where

its hard for you to trust Gods promises?
Maybe youve prayed for help in a situation but
dont see any immediate results. As you think
of Davids long journey to the throne, write
a brief prayer telling God what you want to
happen in your situation, and promising to trust
Him with the future outcome. (Use the Notes
pages in the back of your study guide.)

Friday

It may take a long time before others see

and recognize what God has seen in you all
alongthe person you are capable of becoming. During the years David was a shepherd
boy, an outlaw, and a pretender to the throne,
God always saw him as a king. Eventually,
others recognized the person God had created
David to be.

Tuesday

ead the Flashlight section of the lesson.

As Ellen White describes in this passage,
life takes unexpected twists and turns. Just
look at the lives of celebrities who can be popular and adored one minute, hated or forgotten
the next. But when we, like David, allow God
to take control of our lives, we can be assured
that lifes twists and turns will always end up
being for our good. Can you think of some ups
and downs in your life that have worked out
for the best in the end?

avid was probably just about the age you

are now when he was anointed by the
prophet Samuel and began his journey to the
throne. By age 30, he was king of Israel.
Where do you imagine yourself at age 30?
Take a little time to picture your own future. Do
you believe that God has a plan for you? Do you
have a sense that He is calling you toward a
particular role, or is the future still very unclear
for you? Do you trust Him to lead you in the
direction thats best for you?

Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International
Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Texts credited to NKJV are from the New King James Version.
Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used
by permission. All rights reserved.

this weeks reading*

Wednesday

his weeks Punch Lines come from various places in the Bible. Choose the one
that speaks most directly to you and look it up,

Patriarchs and Prophets (or Beginning of the End), chapter 69.

*Beginning of the End is a special adaptation of Patriarchs and
Prophets, created for you by the Ellen G. White Estate and Pacific
Press. Get more information about it at www.cornerstoneconnec
tions.net/article/191/about-us/conflict-of-the-ages-companionbooks#.URlhF1rBO9s. By following the weekly reading plan,
you will read at least one book of the Conflict of the Ages Series
each year.